


A Time To Leave

by MeredithBrody



Series: The Romulan War [8]
Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: F/M, Future Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-06
Updated: 2014-06-06
Packaged: 2018-02-03 15:48:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1750055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeredithBrody/pseuds/MeredithBrody
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's the day Jon has to leave to take up his position on Andoria, but it means saying goodbye to his family, even if only temporarily.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Time To Leave

This day had been coming for months, but he still wasn't ready for it. The previous ambassador was on his way back to Earth, meaning Jon needed to leave for Andoria today. While he was looking forward to helping build closer ties with the Andorian government, he was dreading leaving his family behind on Earth. He and Erika had made the best decision for their family, but he was going to miss them. That had never been as obvious to him as when he picked up his daughter to say goodbye. "Promise me you'll look after your mother." He whispered to her as she wrapped her arms around him and pressed her cheek to his.

Serena, at least, didn't seem to be too affected by the change to her schedule. She'd be back in school tomorrow, and that would probably be when the change would become most apparent. “Yes daddy.”

“And HC?” He asked, knowing already that the sibling rivalry would stop them doing that.

“But Henry is stinky.” She complained, shaking her head.

“Serena Veronica Archer.” He said, a gentle threat to his tone, one both he and Serena knew was probably going to end in tickles at a later date.

Serena just looked at him and pouted before nodding. “OK, fine. I'll look after Henry too. I love you daddy.”

“I love you too Bunny, I'll see you soon.” He gave her a tight squeeze, memorising how his daughter felt him his arms. It was going to be hard to live without this.

Serena just patted his cheeks in the odd gesture that meant love to the six year old. She'd developed that gesture when she was a baby, apparently it wasn't going away. “Good. Bring me presents.” She demanded, and for some reason that just made it all seem a little less serious, yet more serious all at once. He let her down and shook his head, knowing that sweetness and light little girl could be the devil when she felt like it.

“She isn't even a little bit fazed by this is she?” He asked as his wife slipped beside him quietly. She'd been stood at the back of the room, and while Jon had known she was there, it was easy to forget her when she was that calm and quiet. He was glad she was there now. HC was still sound asleep on the settee behind them.

“Not for a second. Until tonight when you won't be here to read her story. I'll be dealing with the tantrum of the century.” Erika chuckled, and Jon didn't even have to think very hard to know exactly what Erika would be dealing with tonight, and unlike last time he wasn't going to be close enough to just come and take over.

“Are you going to be OK?” He didn't need to ask, not really, but he still did. He just needed to be sure.

“We'll be fine, Jonathan.” Erika smiled, watching Serena who had run away across their playroom and started playing whatever game was her favourite right now. Jon watched his daughter too, and wondered how much she'd change before he saw her again.

Jon leant his forehead against Erika's, the most he could do from where he was stood. It made him feel a little closer to her, but at the same time reminded him that he was going to be leaving in a few hours. “I miss you already.”

“You haven't even left yet.” Erika laughed. A light, lyrical laugh that seemed out of place in their current situation. Her laugh was one of the things that generally never failed to cheer him up, today it just reminded him of what he was going to be missing. Sure, he hadn't left yet, but he was about too, and that was painful.

“Knowing it's coming is enough.” He frowned, then couldn't stop himself from just kissing her. Pulling her closer to him. He felt her arms wrap around him in a reciprocal measure, and realised that she was as afraid and worried as he was. He knew she was going to miss him, but that didn't stop him worrying about it at the same time. It wasn't the longest they'd been apart in their relationship, and he knew they'd visit each other often, but he had thought they were past this part of their lives. He didn't want to let her go, but they needed to breathe. He just continued standing there, his forehead pressed against hers, and he knew she didn't really want him to leave either.

“Eww don't kiss.” He felt two arms clamp around his legs as Serena clearly decided to give her parents her attention again. Jon smiled a little apologetically to Erika, but couldn't resist giving her one more kiss before pulling away. Much to the consternation of their daughter.

“I love you.” He said quietly, wishing that he could hold her a second later, but they both knew he needed to go. The quicker he went, the quicker he could come home. If this was a cheesy movie or and old TV show this would be the moment where one of them had a sudden change of heart and would decide they needed to stay together, but it wasn't. This was the real world, and they both had a job to do.

Erika clearly understood him, stepping back but stroking his cheek as she did. That tiny gesture enough to bring him back from the brink of despondency over this decision. She knew him better than anyone else in the universe, and he knew how she hated goodbyes. “I love you too. Go, you don't want to be late.”

“I'll call you tonight.” He nodded, trying to give them both something to look forward too.

“Jonathan. Go.” Erika's sad smile was almost enough to convince him to change his mind and call the diplomatic corps and tell them he couldn't leave his family. Couldn't be away from them for weeks or months at a time. But he knew beyond all doubt that Erika wouldn't let him do that, so he just nodded slightly with a frown. It was all he could do now until he looked at his wife again.

He leant forward and kissed Erika again, putting as much into the kiss as he could without saying anything to worry his children. The most painful part was pulling away again, even though he knew he needed to do it. He kissed Serena's head again as he bent down to pick his bags up. Then he gave Erika one last short kiss. He was leaving his family, and he didn't know how long for. All he knew was that this was going to be a very long and hard separation for them all, and he hated it.


End file.
